Spring-nut.



R. 0. PICKIN.

SPRING NUT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1914.

Patented Jam. 14,1919.

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application filed May 95. 19M. erial lilo. Month.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that T, ROWLAND U. Pronrn, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ghicago, in'the county'of Cook and fitate of Tllinois, have invented a new and useful liniprovements in Spring-Nuts, of which the fol- V lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in spring nuts and has for its object broadly the provision of a one-piece nut which may be secured on a threaded member or part of any rapidly vibrating machine, device or mechanism, said nut being so constructed that it, when turned down firmly against a stationary part will operate as a self-lock- -ing nut, securing itself in place against becoming loosened by the vibration of the machine, device or mechanism.

A principal object of the invention is the cured, and which may be as readily removed as occasion may require.

A still further ob ect of the invention is the provision of a spring nut which may be constructed from an ordinary nut with slight alteration and almost inappreciable diminution in strength.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a spring nut of the character described which will be cheap to manufacture and durable and efficient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better un derstood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating various embodiments of my invention.

Un the drawing,

Figure l is a side elevationof a spring nut embodying my invention positioned upon the end of a threaded shaft,"

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the nut detached; u

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the axis of the not shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4L is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a secondembodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 5 designates generally a spring nut embodying my invention, reference character 6 the end of a shaft or other machine element upon which is provided a plurality of threads 7 of the ordinary form. The spring nut 5 is slit transversely at 8 to approximately the central axis and the portion 9 at one side of this slit is bent or otherwise deflected from the portion 10 at the other side, preferably in the form of a curve as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The nut 5 is provided internally with threads 11 of an appropriate pitch and size to engage the threads 7. The threads, however in the portion 9 are cut away at the side deflected at 12 for a and 9 in strong and fixed frictional engage ment with the threads 7 of the part 6. The threads are cut away at 12 to permit the abutment or portion 9 to move up in the position shown in this figure without shearing ed the threads in the nut or on the shaft.

Tn Fig. d a somewhat modified form of nut M embodying my invention is disclosed, in which the slit, as will be noted, is not disposed in a plane at right angles to the axis of the nut but is inclined from above the lower face of the nut to the center. The portion 17 beneath the slit to in this figure is deflected, as is the portion 9, and acts in substantially the same manner. Tn either embodiment the upward movement of the portion 9 or. 17, as the nut is turned home, forms a strong engagement with the threads upon the/end 6 of the shaft and materially increases the frictional engagement between the nut and shaft when in looking position.

llt will be apparent that the first engagement with the portion 9 or 17 and the shoulder, collar or hub 13 occurs at the outermost point 19 or 20 of the portion 9 or 17, respectively, and in bending the portion 9 or ll baclr into the position shown in Fig. 1 it acts as a lever fulcrum at the inner end of the slit and having an operating arm equal to the distance of this inner end from the outer face of the portion 9 or 17 and a lifting or working arm equal to the distance from the inner end of the slit to the point of engagement between the threads.

My invention concerns itself also with the making of the nut already described, and the process employed is preferably as follows:

The nut is drop-forged, stamped or formed in any preferred or well known manner, the slit 8 is then provided, care being taken, however, to remove as little as possible of the material of the nut in this step of its manufacture, the best results being obtained, it is believed, when no material at all is removed. The nut is next threaded in the ordinary way. The portion 9 is then deflected or turned downwardly, the threading tool being preferably run back and forth through the nut "at the same time to cut away the portions 12. However, if sufiicient material be removed in cutting away these portions it will only be necessary to run the threading tool through before and after the portion 9 is deflected. 'The steps in the process just described may be varied in order, however, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that an ordinary nut may be converted into earnt a spring nut embod ing may invention by merely slitting it and provi ing the cut-out portions 12. This does not materially weaken the nut and endows it with all of the advantages of a spring nut made in pursuance of my invention.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the nut and of the slit and slit-ted threads, and of the method or process of making the nut without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A spring-nut comprising a nut threaded internally and slit transversely, a portion at one side of the slit being deflected and the threads in said portion being out before and after said portion is deflected.

2. A spring-nut comprising a nut threaded internally and slit transversely a portion at one side of said slit, being deflected from the other portion, the threads within said deflected portion being partly removed where they would interfere with the threads on a part to which the spring-nut is adapted to be secured.

Signed and dated this 21st day of May, 1914, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROWLAND O. PICKIN. Witnesses:

J. C. CARPENTER, H. M. MUNDAY. 

